North East Lincolnshire has been ranked one of the worst places to grow-up poor.

Parliamentary Correspondent Patrick Daly looks at what politicians think can be done to change that.

Children growing up in North East Lincolnshire face some of the toughest struggles to succeed in life, according to a new report.

The Social Mobility Commission – headed by ex-health secretary Alan Milburn – released its State of the Nation report yesterday which concluded that children raised on the south bank of the Humber are confronted with some of the largest hurdles in the UK when trying to better themselves.

In fact, only 15 local authority areas in the whole country fared worse than the borough, coming 309 out of 324 councils.

North Lincolnshire Council fares better, but still ranks in the bottom half of the table, at 184 in the standings.

A “difficulty in attracting and retaining good teachers”, a dearth of decent transport links and a lack of a devolution deal was all holding the region back, according to the study.

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Committee chair Mr Milburn, a prominent figure during the New Labour government, said the report depicted a country “in the grip of a self-reinforcing spiral of ever-growing division”, with great disparity between opportunities in different parts of the country.

Children living in Westminster, for example, are far more likely to do well than those in the Humber, the report said.

“London and its hinterland are increasingly looking like a different country from the rest of Britain,” said Mr Milburn.

Alan Milburn, former health secretary and currently chair of the Social Mobility Committee

“It is moving ahead, as are many of our country’s great cities. But too many rural and coastal areas and the towns of Britain’s old industrial heartlands are being left behind economically and hollowed out socially.”

He called for a “new level of effort” to tackle the phenomenon of “left-behind Britain” – an issue alluded to by polling experts after the 2016 Brexit result – and published a number of recommendations for both local authorities and the Government to consider.

North East Lincolnshire Council was keen to point out that it is already delivering on some of the recommendations and is making steady headway in finding the cash to regenerate Grimsby, thanks to its negotiations over a multi-million pound town deal with the Government.

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The committee recommended that local authorities become a living wage employer – different to the Government’s so-called ‘national living wage’ – and to encourage other companies to follow suit, something NELC already does. The voluntary living wage is £8.75 per hour, compared to the ‘National Living Wage’ for those aged over 25, which is £7.50.

North East Lincolnshire Council ranked in the bottom 10 per cent on the social mobility UK rankings

The council also has implemented a strategy to improve the opportunities for disadvantaged children, while ensuring that Pupil Premium funds are “invested in an evidence-based practice” – another recommendation made by the panel.

Councillor Ray Oxby, leader of NELC, said the regeneration plan – headed by the Greater Grimsby Project Board and backed by the public and private sector – could help better skill the region’s young people for the future.

The scheme envisages an initial five-year investment plan, securing up to £36.9 million of Government funds to spruce up the town’s waterways and docks, while creating educational and leisure opportunities. The long-term aims are to create 5,400 jobs and build 7,700 homes.

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“On a local level, improving social mobility is one of the challenges we face as an area with some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country,” said Mr Oxby, the Labour council leader.

“These aren’t problems we can tackle alone, but by working in partnership with government, with other public sector organisations, with businesses and the local community we can address these challenges.

North East Lincolnshire Council leader, Ray Oxby

“Along with our partners on the Greater Grimsby Partnership Board, we’ve been developing a new approach to revitalising the town centre, increasing skill levels and creating new jobs and housing.”

The Great Grimsby town deal was highlighted in the Government’s mammoth 255-page industrial strategy which was published on Monday. The regeneration scheme is backed by town-raised millionaire David Ross, ex-chancellor Norman Lamont and Associated British Ports, along with NELC.

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Mr Oxby said one of the “main drivers” behind the multi-million proposal – which is still being worked-out with Whitehall – was to “raise the aspirations of children and young people growing up in the borough” and to encourage them to bee “inspired by the place they live”.

Great Grimsby MP, Melanie Onn, said the report showed that “far too few young people in Grimsby go on to university or to secure a good career”.

The Labour front bench minister said it was further reason to encourage both the regeneration efforts in the town, but also the growth of new industries, such as the offshore wind sector, which has a strong foothold in the town and its docks.

Business Secretary Greg Clark with Business Telegraph on a visit to the South Bank in 2015, and David Ross, who is chairing the Greater Grimsby Town Deal project board

“We need good, skilled jobs here, as well as training provision, mentoring, and apprenticeships so local people can get those jobs,” said Ms Onn.

But the Opposition MP said the Government had played its own part in the problems faced locally.

“The Tory Government is making massive cuts to our local schools over the next few years, which could mean fewer teachers, bigger class sizes, and certain subjects and extra-curricular activities cut,” she warned.

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“The Conservatives are also planning to end funding to Great Coates Village and Scartho Nurseries, which could force those ‘outstanding’ schools to close.

“The Government should be prioritising investment in towns like ours to attract new business to the area, and in our children’s education, so they have the skills and qualifications to achieve better futures for themselves.”

Melanie Onn MP for Grimsby, stands at the entrance to the Nunsthorpe estate

The State of the Nation report stated that the Humber region clearly faced “a significant social mobility challenge” and implored it to “find a way to break the devolution deadlock that exists at the moment” as a first step to changing the fortunes of its young and future workers.

Only in the Budget last week, the Yorkshire and the Humber region saw how devolution had changed the landscape for funding – regional mayors in places like Greater Manchester and Teeside were shown to have priority when dealing with Government over fresh funding streams.

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Martin Vickers, MP for Cleethorpes, supported the failed Greater Lincolnshire bid for devolution which was scuppered when Lincolnshire County Council voted against it last year.

The Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, ruled that the county council’s refusal to back the model meant the £450 million deal was off – despite the councils in North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire supporting the proposal for a regional mayor.

“There is no doubt that the failure of the Lincolnshire devolution deal has restricted the ability for our area to attract Government funding – that seems a non-too controversial fact,” said Tory MP Mr Vickers.

“My understanding is that tentative discussions have taken place between the council leaders in the north of the county and personally I would like to see North, North East Lincolnshire and both East and West Lindsey District Councils, all of whom favoured the Lincolnshire deal, work together to put forward alternative proposals.”

Other recommendations made by the Social Mobility Commission included encouraging central government to launch a fund to enable schools in coastal areas to partner with other schools to boost attainment.

They also called for regional school commissioners – currently in charge of academy schools – to be given responsibility to work with universities, schools and Teach First to ensure there is a good supply of teachers in all parts of their regions.

A map of how the local authorities ranked in terms of social mobility in Yorkshire and the Humber

The Department for Transport were also urged to “deliver a more equal share of investment per person” to better balance regional economies, as part of the suggestions.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling last night announced that he was considering restoring some of the railway lines which were moth-balled during the Beeching Report cuts of the 1960s and 70s in order to “help create new economic opportunities”.

Dr Richard Beeching’s report took 4,000-miles of railway out of action, including axing a direct route from Cleethorpes to London, which ran through Spalding on its way to Kings Cross.

Mr Grayling said any proposal to reopen a ditched rail route must “demonstrate strong business cases where they are seeking Government funding”.